The MEEK will HE guide... the MEEK will He teach His way..

"What man is he that feareth the LORD? Him shall HE teach in the way that HE shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth." Psalm 25: 12,13

This past week I was reading through Matthew 5, the well known chapter where the Lord Jesus teaches of the blessings reserved for those who follow Him. 

And as I read through the various characteristics the Lord Jesus mentions in the Beatitudes, I stopped and reflected on the importance of having a MEEK spirit. 

Meekness isn't the easiest of characteristics... but it describes the Lord Jesus fully. It should also describe us as believers...

MEEKNESS (def.): 1) a calm temper of mind, not easily provoked, 2) submissive, lowly, humble, 3) having or showing a quiet and gentle nature, 4) enduring injury with patience and without resentment

If we look at the various definitions, we find the Lord Jesus was the embodiment of meekness.  

I remember when I first started memorizing verses a few years back... and I remember the excuses that I made... all because I "couldn't memorize". However, my heart yearned to know more of  my Lord and Saviour... and I knew I could only grow in my knowledge of Him though His WORD.  So I started with a familiar verse... 

" Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; 

for I am meek and lowly in heart: 

and ye shall find rest unto your souls." 

Matthew 11:29

Little did I realize, but it was the perfect verse that would teach me and grow me in the knowledge of the Lord. The verse has taken me on a most rewarding journey... that I would learn of Him. 

But in order to learn of Him... well, my heart had to be adorned in humility.

" Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, 

and receive with meekness the engrafted word, 

which is able to save your souls." 

James 1:21

We are in no way teachable if we do not have fear of the Lord and be found meek and lowly in heart. We must lay aside all forms of pride. Truly, He alone must take precedence and have complete control of our whole being.... body, soul and mind.

How I need the Lord's yoke... to guide and direct me...and to teach me. Only then will my soul "find rest" or "dwell at ease".

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ who is the perfect example of meekness. Help us to receive your word with meekness and humbleness of mind, that you may lead and teach us to walk in integrity and uprightness of heart. 

May you reflect the Lord's glory and honor in your life today by being a testimony of His character. 

~Ellie

That NO flesh should glory in HIS PRESENCE...

" That in EVERY THING ye are enriched by HIM, in ALL utterance, and in ALL knowledge." 1 Corinthians 1:5

Lately, I've been thinking about my need to have the LORD JESUS CHRIST dwell richly in me. I find myself lacking often to " put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh." How easily I fall prey to the flesh.

-Pride creeps in,
-Selfishness abounds,
-and Christ is minimized in my life.

And then I think how perfectly the LORD GOD orchestrated our lives... He perfectly knows us and our tendencies. And how easily we want self glory.

Indeed God knows our tendencies,

"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, 

and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart 

was only evil continually."

 Genesis 6:5

And so I think upon my need to glory in the Lord... to glorify the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD, worthy of ALL praise.

Touching the Almighty, we cannot find Him out: 

He is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice:

 He will not afflict. 

Men do therefore fear Him: 

He respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

Job 37, 23, 24

Dominion and fear are with Him...

Job 25:2

How good to remember my  place before a Holy and Righteous God... and to remember that He alone enriches us with the the right words to speak and fills us with the knowledge of His will when we are humble before Him. For I am reminded that I can do nothing apart from Him.

"... for without me ye can do nothing." 

John 15:5

AND in all things, I am to glorify my Father in heaven,

" Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." 

John 15:8

O Righteous Father, help me to fear your name, and flee from self-exaltation. Enlighten my eyes to behold your glory with adoration as you continue your mighty work in me.

May you be encouraged to exalt the Lord on High today.... for in everything we are enriched by Him.
~Ellie

He hath shewed STRENGTH with HIS arm...

" He that is MIGHTY hath done to me GREAT things: and HOLY is HIS name." Luke 1:49

As I am nearing the end of memorizing Romans Chapter 8, I have been tremendously blessed by it. Oh, the treasures gained by slowly dwelling on God's word... and knowing Him more.

Memorizing has brought much strength and peace to me... not only building me up and helping me to discern His will, but it has been most helpful...

...during times of anxiety, 

...during times of discouragement, 

...during times of loneliness, 

...and during times when I needed strength for the day... or night.... when my thoughts strayed from the things above to those here below.

While memorizing verse 32 of Romans 8, I marvelled at God's love for us:

 " He that spared not His own Son, 

but delivered Him up for us all, 

how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" 

Romans 8:32

Sometimes we know not what we ask for... we want... and want.... and want. Our "needs" are never met.

But as I stayed a bit upon the verse, I realized how often we discount the magnitude of God's love... and His gift for us.

Shamefully, we don't acknowledge God's precious gift for us as being more than enough.  No, not more than enough, but rather,...

Abundant. Overflowing. Plentiful. Bountiful...

Have  you ever marvelled at God's gift for you? For indeed He has given us ALL things through His Son Jesus Christ. 

We lack no good thing.

And as I was reading through the book of Luke, I was blessed with a verse that brought overflowing thanksgiving  in my heart to the Lord... for His goodness to me. 

" He that is MIGHTY hath done to me GREAT things: 

and HOLY is HIS name."

 Luke 1:49

Indeed He is mighty... and nothing is impossible for Him.

Great things has He done for me... and HOLY is His name!

May you rejoice today in the abundance of His love for you... and praise His Holy name.

~Ellie

For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy.

"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity..." Habakuk 1:13a

This past week I was blessed with a verse a brother shared in a recent Bible study on James. The verse  in Habakuk was mentioned in conjunction with the thought that God does not tempt us to do evil. 

There are lots of verses in the Bible that show God's attributes... His holiness, His righteousness, His longsuffering, His mercy, ... and the fact that there is no wickedness in Him. 

But the more I learn about God's character, the more I find myself in awe of God's gift of salvation. 

Such love... that God would provide His Son , the Lord Jesus Christ, to take my place on the cross.

Did you ever wonder why God had to give His Son to die? Why was a lamb without blemish required for the cleansing of sin?

 Because God cannot look upon iniquity! His eyes too pure to behold evil...

The sinner needed a SAVIOUR. 

The sinner needed a cleansing of all form of iniquity.

The sinner needed to be clean in order to stand before a HOLY and RIGHTEOUS God.  

And so, the Lord Jesus fulfilled the Father's requirement... that blood be shed for us... so we would have the cleansing and forgiveness of sins. 

Isn't it marvelous!

He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: 

by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; 

for He shall bear their iniquities. "

Isaiah 53:11

Yes, God's eyes... too pure. 

I was so blessed with the verse! How wonderful to be given another bit of information to help us in our walk before a HOLY God...

 " But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." 

1 Peter 1:15

O, Lord God, thank you for being Holy and Righteous... and Merciful. Help us to put away and make no provision for the flesh.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, 

and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. " 

Romans 13:14

And so this past week, I made it a point to memorize Romans 13:14 and Habakuk 1:13 as a reminder, to myself, to put away all form of iniquity in my life... and desire His face to shine on me.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: 

But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. " 

1Peter 3:12

It's easy to compromise our Christian walk... saying,

Oh, God will forgive. God will have mercy. 

Yes, He does forgive. Yes, He does have mercy. But we are to walk in obedience and not be hearers only... but doers. How often I fail.... to do.

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." 

Colossians 1:10

May you indeed be blessed by our Father's holiness... may it give you strength to obey and live victoriously through Christ Jesus... the author and finisher of our faith(Hebrews 12:2).

~Ellie